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The chill of winter is starting to fade as the sun begins to rise a little earlier each morning; set a little later each evening and transition back to summer.

Spring is the beautiful in-between season that allows us to slowly say goodbye to winters woolly-weeks and hello to the sprouting fresh blossoms of spring.

In Ayurvedic medicine spring is a very important time of the year for paying attention to the body and practicing mindfulness towards our food and daily activities. With the start of warmer weather, our bodies know that it is time to ‘lighten-up’, cleanse, purify and clear the decks of one season to make room for the next. We go from hibernation mode to being engaged and more easily outward in the world.

In summary: having the awareness and capacity for being able to adapt to the changing environment around you is key factor in maintaining a balances, healthy strong body and mind.

Health is a state of inner-balance!

One of the best ‘foodie’ ways to specifically nourish, balance and gently cleanse your body during Spring is to eat warm, light, easy to digest foods such as Soup!

In the spirit of spring I have prepared a special soup recipe for you to get you on your soupy way!

Stay in tune with your body, spring-clean, dance in the sun and eat soup!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ghee

spices: 1 tsp of each; cumin, coriander & ¼ tsp fennel seeds

1 tbsp fresh ginger finely chopped

1 tsp fresh turmeric finely chopped & ½ tsp of turmeric powder

1 leak chopped

1 zucchini chopped into small pieces

1 small head of broccoli chopped into pieces

1 stick of celery chopped small

1 cup of pumpkin chopped into cubes

1 cup of green beans chopped small

1 handful of chopped fresh coriander

4 cups of boiling water

1 tsp of sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Creating your soup:

Place a spoon of ghee into your pot on a medium heat and stir in cumin, coriander and fennel seeds.

Stir in fresh ginger, turmeric, turmeric powder and chopped leek; toasting for 2-3 minutes to coat your ingredients in the ghee and spices.

‘The yogi realises that his life and all its activities are part of the divine action in nature, manifesting and operating in the form of man. In the beating of his pulse and the rhythm of his respiration, he recognises the flow of the seasons and the throbbing of universal life.’

Here is a little (massively juicy) photo from a few years ago on our trip to the magical garden Island of Kauai, Hawaii.

Naturally, the fresh-food-produce scene over there, CAPTIVATED me! There was a local farmers market held on the island every day of the week. I’m not joking.

Every day! Fresh papaya’s in abundance. Flavours and tastes that had never touched my lips before visiting the Island. It was magical!

One of my most memorable adventures on the island was a walk I did with my Mum and her partner, Brian.

We hiked for 2-3 hours in the most lush, green national park I have ever seen. Along the way Brian gave me a personalised ‘bush-tucker’ tour of our surrounds and these juicy berries that you see in my hand up above, were the star highlight of the whole experience.

Wholesome Loving Goodness, (my mission) is going through a magnificent transformation. More than ever I wish to share with YOU inspiration, tools, tips, info ~ holistic living that is nourishing, chemical-free and good for the soul!

My Holistic Ayurvedic Lifestyle + Recipe book is coming this year, 2015 – release date to be announced soon!

Women’s 1 day and weekend getaway retreats in Byron Bay (and perhaps some other exotic destinations) co-faciliated with my very own Wholesome Mother, Alora Waldron – expert teacher on all things chemical-free, organic and transformational are coming this year, 2015 – dates to be announced soon!

I’m feeling moved beyond moved to serve communities of families, youth and children in bringing love into food, cooking and life this year. Projects and collaborations to make this dream a reality are underway. This will be the big focus of 2015!

It’s time to DREAMbig friends – it’s time to make the difference you are here to make – starting with the basics, proper nourishment and wholesomeness pure chemical free living so that you and your family, society and the planet, can thrive!

It’s been a while since I’ve shared ‘What Is Up’ – in Wholesome Loving Goodness land. So here you go. I’m so excited and look forward to sharing with you in this magical year of 2015!

++JOIN ME++ If you would like to work with me, retreat with me, cook with me or transform your lifestyle with me in 2015 – if this year is THE year for YOU! …Look to the sidebar on the right of this page and join my Cardamom Pod Newsletter List!

Join me, I’d love to work with you in this powerful year of possibility, 2015!

“Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.”

This is my official way of saying, ‘wholly molly, we are almost at the end of this calendar year- 2014’!

The spring air is warm and strong northerly winds are blowing out all the cobwebs from Winter. There is movement.

Jacarandas blossoming, animals coming out of hibernation to bask in the sun, frangipani shoots sprouting! Spring is certainly in full swing here in Australia.

Similarly, the air is crisp and fresh, evenings are cool and the flowers are tucking themselves into bed for the winter in the northern hemisphere. (I have family in Canada who give me this inside info!) :-)

There is seasonal change happening everywhere! :) And it’s a glorious thing! Without these changes and cycles, we would not experience the richness and beauty that Mother Nature has to offer in all of her forms and expressions.

Vatta, the element of Air + Ether is present during seasonal change as well as times of the year where there is more activity happening – such as the holiday season.

In my personal experience and observation, seasonal change combined with the busyness leading up to Christmas/New Years can have us feeling:

‘Crazy, frantic, hurried, rushed, and scattered!’

We move fast to get things done, resulting in being short tempered and feisty when things get out of control.

Self-care, proper nourishment, meditation practice, time for rest and proper sleep are all things that can very easily slip by the wayside when there is so much to do and so much happening.

It’s tough to keep the balance!

Ironically, these are the very things we need to be doing – more than ever!

This time of year it is important to ~ ‘slow down’…

These might seem like ghastly words to hear – when your social calendar is filled every weekend until Christmas and your diary is bursting with ‘to do’ lists that scream at you every day.

Trust me on this one though…

Taking a moment to apply some ‘slow down’to your day, will have you feeling more like this:

Energised, calm, centered, empowered and on-top of it all! You’ll stand out at the Christmas parties, as people will notice that you did something different this year. You don’t look frazzled. You are poised and calm, centered and glowing. You are radiantly grinning and proud of yourself for being peacefully productive this ‘silly’ season. :)

In Ayurvedic medicine, health is all about balance. Any type of change we experience – such as the change of season or a busy period in life can aggravate the ‘Air’ element of the body, known as Vatta Dosha. Vata loves regularity, stillness and warmth. When the weather is windy, irregular, too hot or too cold and dry – Vatta can get upset and start to run a muck! The busyness of this time of year can throw this element out of whack. The good news is that it’s easily balanced and corrected;

~5 Simple Vatta Balancing Lifestyle Tips~

1. Drink Warm Water & Nourish Yourself:

Wake up and drink 2-4 cups of freshly boiled warm water with a slice of fresh ginger. This will warm your digestion and activate your parasympathetic nervous system, allowing you to start your day in a relaxed way. It’s the best!

Make sure you take some time to nourish your body. Start the day with a yummy grounding porridge, buckwheat pancakes or veggie soup! Look after your precious body on the inside and out.

2. Stretch/Move Your Body Daily:

In your room or lounge-room, move your body. Raise your arms up above your head and reach to the heavens. Stretch your body, breathing with your movement, becoming one with your body :). Move, unwind, and tune in. Do this for a minimum of 10 minutes. Stretching opens the body and allows us to be in tune and feel good in our skin. Movement releases endorphins (happy chemicals) in the brain, making you feel good. After moving the body it is much easier to sit in stillness and focus within to de-stress through meditation.

3.Meditate/Sit and Be with Your-self:

Find a comfy cushion, bolster, blanket or towel to sit on. Sit on the edge so that your knees are lower than your hips. If you are new to the concept of meditation, don’t worry. Everyone starts somewhere and now is the perfect time to begin. Sit with your spine straight to allow for proper flow of energy, then close down your eyes and simply focus on your breath. Allow thoughts to come and go. They are not important here. All that is important is your breath, and your focus inward. If you can do this for at least 10 min at the start of your day, it will set the scene for a peacefully productive day ahead. Meditation is transformational.

4.Massage Your Feet/Body 3 times per week:

Cold pressed Black sesame oil is traditionally the Ayurvedic oil of choice. If you don’t have it though, you can use organic cold pressed olive oil, almond oil or coconut oil. To prepare the oil for your self-massage, simply warm your oil by placing the bottle in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes. Before you have your shower, massage the oil into your body. Oil is beautifully grounding and balancing. Your skin will eat it up and your nerves will too. Do this for 5 minutes then rinse off in a warm shower.

5.Take Some Deep Breathes:

Before you go out for the day and get into your work or your tasks… take 6 deep breathes. Write a note to yourself in your diary to remind you to move slowly. Remember that you don’t need to be superman or superwoman. You simply need to do your best and do everything with love. If there are things on your to do list that are not high priorities, then cross them off. Free up your time so you can focus on a realistic list of things to achieve. This is a hard one for the high achievers. You can do it though. :) There are 12 months next year to complete those tasks. Remember, there is no rush, everything in life happens in divine timing.

This season is all about looking after YOU – so that you can show up being present, clear and loving with your friends and family.

After all this is what is most important. Not how much we did, but how present we were.

“You give but little when you give of your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”

– Kahil Gibran

Be generous this holiday season, fill your own cup so that you can share abundantly with those around you!

…Remember, nothing great is every built overnight. It is regula and consistent acts of love, that contribute to creating long-term health, wellness and joy inside!

For years the practice of Yoga has captured the imagination of both my body, mind and spirit.

There is something special that happens when the breath harmonises in movement with the body. When the mind is freed through the practice of letting go of being right, doing something right, looking right or having to prove something to anyone else.

Finding yourself in the moment. In the here and now. Being humble.

One breath at a time. One movement at a time. One thought at a time…

I call this P R E S E N C E .

There is a rich beauty about realising –(through showing up on the mat, in life, in your relationships, in your work) that even once you ‘know’ how to do something, a downward-faceing dog, achieve an outcome or a result in your work or know that making sure you are present with your family or partner is important… There is a beauty in realising that even though you may KNOW these things…. that knowing things doesn’t make a difference.

It is our PRESENCE. Our attention to the moment. To our yoga practice each day. To our bodies each day. To our work each day. To our loved ones each day. To ourselves each day. It is this that I call the real practice of YOGA, (union).

Each time you step onto your mat, arrive at work or come home to be with your family, that is where the real YOGA, the real joy in being alive, the real magic, the real practice is in action.

I love the subtle resistance that can arise sometimes when I step onto my yoga mat. The intelligence of my body humbling me to see and feel what would have otherwise remained un-touched and un-noticed. I love the intimacy with self that my Yoga practice brings. The inner dance of my cells as I move across my mat. As I am guided by my teacher to explore new oceans and lands within my body.

Being present and aware of the imperfections within my practice is what makes my Yoga practice feel complete. This is the beauty. This is the life juice. This is where the joy and adventure of being alive lives!

Resistance in life can be a stifling feeling. It can stop us – often at times when we need to break-through the most.

Resistance is a sign that what you truly love and desire is close. Very close. Infact, most likely just behind the corner of the barrier you are putting up.

Resistance is a gift. It is a blessings and when you can walk through those thoughts, those blockages in your body, those aches and pains in your being that wish for you to stay safe and not feel the very juicy goodness that your spirit wishes you to feel, then there is a sweet prize for you at the end. A prize that cannot be valued through money, fame or riches. It is the ultimate gift…

I N N E R – F R E E D O M .

You can experience this in your lifetime. We can all travel through the doorways of our resistance, whether it be around our health and body image, breaking through our physical pain, our emotional blockages and aches or a breakthrough in showing up to be present in our own lives, to receive that which is waiting for us, to be our true authentic selves, allowing all story, past beliefs and thoughts that do not serve us to drop away.

Life really is a practice. A yoga practice is a mini microcosm of the bigger macrocosm of our journey. Our work is a microcosm of our practice. Our relationships are a microcosm of our practice.

The practice is within. It lies with us. We are the ones, that we have been waiting for in our lives. It is you. It is me. It is all of us, showing up, with humility, with openness to grow and learn. With self-compassion and love. Knowing that we are on a journey. And as cliche` as this sounds, life really is about the journey, NOT the destination…

At the end of our sweet lifetime on this earth. It is not how ‘perfect’ we were at our head-stand in yoga or how ‘perfect’ we were in our lives that we will reflect upon and value. It is how loving we were – firstly to ourselves, and then with others – it is this that we shall look back on and smile about. The journey – the practice – the memories of how we broke through our resistance in that area or that area… with this person or that person… with ourselves. Being the best person we can be in this life. THIS is what we shall be proud of. THIS is THE PRACTICE.

This entire post was inspired by reading a gorgeous poem out of BKS Iyengers’ famous book, ‘Light on Yoga’.

Here is an exert that I wish to share… This poem is divine in every way imaginable. It encapsulates such beauty and the true essence of YOGA from my point of view. For those who don’t call themselves ‘Yogi’s’… Yoga means life. As in each moment we are uniting with the forces of nature, of the energies within our own being… You don’t need to show up at 6am to your local yoga studio to call yourself a Yogi. Living in harmony daily with self and others – being open to grow and courageous to meet yourself in each moment with self compassion and self love. This is my definition of a true Yogi. The Yoga is within.

I have no name, I have no life, I breathe no vital air,No elements have moulded me, no bodily sheath is my lair:I have no speech, no hands and feet, nor means of evolution –Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss in dissolution.

I cast aside hatred and passion, I conquered delusion and greed;No touch of pride caressed me, so envy never did breed:Beyond all faiths, past reach of wealth, past freedom, past desire,Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is my attire.

I have no misgiving of death, no chasms of race divide me,No parent ever called me child, no bond of birth ever tied me:I am neither disciple nor master, I have no kin, no friend –Consciousness and joy am I, and merging in Bliss is my end.

Neither knowable, knowledge, nor knower am I, formless is my form,I dwell within the senses but they are not my home:Ever serenely balanced, I am neither free nor bound –Consciousness and joy am I, and Bliss is where I am found.

Here’s to a life of divine practice in harmony with your entire being. Thriving, growing, dancing, moving, being – true to yourself in each and every breath.

Two years of wholesome loving goodness creations and we are celebrating from across the seas in Canada! Yippee!

Two years ago on this date WLG was born, out of a love and inspiration for sharing the beauty and magic of real – wholefood – organics – Ayurvedic medicine and wholesome nourishment with kitchens and families around the world!

…The amount of beauty, inspiration, joy, amazing new friends, connections, inspiration, wholesomeness, love, goodness, fun and creativity that has come about over the last 2 years has been INCREDIBLE and so nourishing on every level! Whoa!!

Filled with gratitude today and everyday for this community and for all the friends near and far who have supported this creation and it’s organic growth since the beginning!

Thankyou, thankyou, namaste and thankyou!

It is each and everyone of you being part of this community and being amazing in your own lives that makes these dreams possible and a reality.

Gratitude and love from the shores of Cananda (…where the health food shops, organic produce and green trees are amazing!)

In times of beauty, times of greatness and in times of inner reflection, diving deep, searching for truth, purpose direction, exploring the inner realms of your being… It can be confronting, challenging and easy to begin to feel a little ‘lost’ and unsure of where the path is leading you…

No matter what you are going through, it is perfect! More perfect than you can possibly imagine right now!

…The universe works in mysterious ways!

Wherever you are at, celebrate it! :) Love it, embrace it… make peace with it. And then flow with grace and continue on your path.

Today the message of inspiration…

“You are whole, complete & perfect just as you are.”

Yes you, in your skin. You are divine.

The mind may try to grasp thoughts, find meaning and identity in outward things. This can be fine, and fun and beautiful.

Realising that true satisfaction, peace, inner joy and calm arises out of allowing the minds thoughts to float through – rather then stick to the edges of your beautiful brain, and instead come back to your true beauty, your inner knowledge that you are enough, you are worthy, you are a being of light and you are loved and wanted in this world.

You have a purpose and mission so great that other’s who don’t even know you yet can’t wait to support you in your heart’s truest path and calling. This is your true authentic place to reside. Allowing the inner light that shines within you to be bright and to be your guide.

Have faith, trust, surrender, breathe…

Life is a blessing and we are all here to grow, develop, dance and discover new virtues in connection with our body, other’s and the planet at large.

Some deep thought’s… Stay real, remember to hug as many humans as possible, drink warm water in the morning and smile. Smiling works miracles! :)